Articuli, de quibus in Synodo Londinensi, Anno Dom. M.D.LII. ad tollendam opinionum dissensionem, et con-5 sensum veræ religionis firmandum, inter Episcopos et alios eruditos viros convenerat: REGIA authoritate in lucem editi.

1. De fide in Sacrosanctam Trinitatem.

UNUS

NUS est vivus et verus Deus, æternus, incorporeus, 10 impartibilis, impassibilis, immensæ potentiæ, sapientiæ, ac bonitatis: creator et conservator omnium, tum

Articuli, de quibus] These Articles, forty-two in number, the first that were constructed by the church of England on the principles of the reformation, were indebted to the clear theological distinctions of 15 Melancthon and other reformers of Germany, and derived more especially from the confession of Augsburg (Laur. Bamp. Lec. p. 295 &c.) But some progress had already been made in this work by the English divines during the reign of Henry VIII., although the Articles published at several times by his authority were strongly in favour of the 20 ancient learning. In compliance with his earnest wishes, and with the view of promoting other important objects, as well as an agreement in religious sentiments, a deputation of three eminent reformers had been sent from the Protestant princes of Germany in the year 1538, who immediately on their arrival in England joined with Cranmer and 25 others in drawing up articles of religion, on the model generally adopted by their own countrymen. A book of Articles, which is still preserved among the public records, is believed to contain the result of their labours up to the time when they were interrupted by the personal interference of Henry; and though in a few points it appears 30

B

visibilium tum invisibilium. Et in unitate hujus divinæ naturæ tres sunt personæ, ejusdem essentiæ, potentiæ, ac æternitatis, Pater, Filius, et Spiritus Sanctus.

2. Verbum Dei, verum hominem esse factum.

Filius, qui est verbum patris,* in utero beatæ Virginis, 5 ex illius substantiâ naturam humanam assumpsit, ita ut duæ naturæ, divina et humana, integre atque perfecte in unitate personæ fuerint inseparabiliter conjunctæ, ex quibus est unus CHRISTUS, verus Deus et verus homo, qui verè passus est, crucifixus, mortuus et sepultus, ut patrem 10 nobis reconciliaret, essetque hostia non tantum pro culpa originis, verum etiam pro omnibus actualibus hominum peccatis.

to have receded from the confession of Augsburg, there are some peculiar clauses in it, which persons assembled from different countries 15 would be likely to have inserted, and which are also to be found in the subsequent Articles of 1552. This book, in short, having formerly been approved by Cranmer in conjunction with other reformers, both of England and of Germany, would naturally be employed by him in the year 1552, although in its thirteen Articles, the whole number of 20 which it consists, much would be found to be irrelevant and inapplicable, and great alterations had taken place in the meantime both in his own sentiments and in those of the people at large. (See Jenkyns' Pref. to Cranmer's Works, p. xxiii.)

The manner in which the Articles were drawn up is thus described 25 by archbishop Wake, abridging the larger narrative of Strype, and correcting some mistakes that were made by Heylin in his History of the Times. "In 1551 the king and the privy council ordered the archbishop to frame a book of Articles of religion, for preserving and maintaining peace and unity of doctrine in the church, to be set forth 30 by public authority. He drew them, and committed them to certain bishops to be inspected and approved of by them. By a letter of council dated May 2, 1552, the archbishop was commanded to send them the Articles delivered the last year to the bishops, and to signify whether the same were set forth by any public authority, according to 35 the minutes. The Articles were accordingly sent by the archbishop, and returned again in a little time to him. For in September they

3. De descensu Christi ad Inferos.

Quemadmodum CHRISTUS pro nobis mortuus est et sepultus, ita est etiam credendus ad inferos descendisse. [Nam corpus usque ad resurrectionem in sepulchro jacuit, Spiritus ab illo emissus, cum spiritibus qui in carcere sive in inferno 5 detinebantur, fuit, illisque prædicavit; quemadmodum testatur Petri locus.]

4. Resurrectio Christi.

Christus vere à mortuis resurrexit, suumque corpus cum carne, ossibus, omnibusque ad integritatem humanæ 10 naturæ pertinentibus, recepit, cum quibus in cœlum ascendit, ibique residet, quoad extremo die ad judicandos homines revertatur.

5. Divinæ Scripturæ doctrina sufficit ad salutem. Scriptura sacra continet omnia quæ sunt ad salutem 15

were again in his hands; when being put into a better order, and titles added to each of the Articles, and a supply made of what was thought defective, they were on the 19th of the same month remitted by the archbishop to sir William Cecil and sir John Cheke for their inspection and advice upon them. They agreed that the archbishop should offer 20 them to the king; which accordingly he did not long after. They were then communicated to some other divines, by the king's order, about the beginning of October; and upon the 20th of November were sent back again by the council to the archbishop. The archbishop made his last remarks upon them, and so returned them again in three 25 days to the council, beseeching them to prevail with the king to give authority to the bishops to cause their respective clergy to subscribe the same." (Wake's State of the Church &c. p. 599.)

But the most important part of their history still remains. Although they profess in their title to have been agreed upon in the convocation 30 of that period, it has always been doubted whether they ever received any sanction of the kind; and their last editor, who may be considered as peculiarly qualified for such inquiries, has expressly declared that they were drawn up by individuals appointed by the king, totally independent of the convocation, and were never submitted to that body.35

necessaria, ita ut quicquid in ea nec legitur neque inde probari potest, [licet interdum à fidelibus, ut pium et conducibile ad ordinem et decorum admittatur, attamen] à quoquam non exigendum est ut tanquam articulus fidei credatur, et ad salutis necessitatem requiri putetur. * * * *

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6. "Vetus Testamentum non est rejiciendum. "Testamentum Vetus, quasi Novo contrarium sit, non "est repudiandum, sed retinendum, quandoquidem tam "in veteri quàm in novo per CHRISTUM qui unicus est "mediator Dei et hominum, Deus et homo, æterna vita 1o humano generi est proposita. Quare non sunt au"diendi, qui veteres tantum in promissiones temporarias sperasse confingunt."

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(See Dr. Lamb's Articles, pp. 9 and 4.) And this opinion is probably made to rest on the letters addressed by the king to the several bishops 15 in the following June, where he says that the Articles "were gathered with great study, and by counsel and good advice of the greatest learned part of our bishops, and sundry others of our clergy." (Strype Mem. vol. ii. P. 2. p. 105.) Perhaps, however, it will be found on a close examination of such evidence as is still producible, that the authority 20 of the upper house, which at that time was held to involve the authority of the whole synod, was given to these Articles, if not directly, at least by delegation; and this would be consistent with the language of the king's letter. It is admitted that Heylin and Fuller found no notice of them in the registers which were extant in their time, 25 and were of opinion that the Articles were not adopted by the great body of the convocation; that the Catechism to which they were originally appended, was declared by the first convocation of the following reign to have obtained no authority from that body; and that the members of both houses, and more especially the bishops, who strongly 30 resisted the alterations recently made in the Book of Common Prayer, would be equally opposed to the Articles, as not only setting forth the tenets of the new learning, but also requiring an express approval of the Prayer-book. But it is true on the other hand that the registers of that period were exceedingly imperfect, being "but one degree 35 above blanks;" that any testimony derived merely from their omissions is of no value; that Heylin and Fuller supposed the Articles to

7. Symbola tria.

Symbola tria, Nicenum, Athanasii, et quod vulgo Apostolicum appellatur, omnino recipienda sunt*. Nam firmissimis divinarum scripturarum testimoniis probari possunt.

8. Peccatum originale.

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Peccatum originis non est (ut fabulantur Pelagiani, [et hodie Anabaptista repetunt)] in imitatione Adami situm, sed est vitium et depravatio naturæ cujuslibet hominis ex Adamo naturaliter propagati: qua fit ut ab originali 10 justitia quam longissime distet, ad malum sua natura propendeat, et caro semper adversus spiritum concupiscat: unde in unoquoque nascentium, iram Dei atque damnationem meretur. Manet etiam in renatis hæc

have received the sanction of the convocation, not indeed directly, but 15 by means of a delegation; that it was the Catechism alone which was disowned by the convocation of queen Mary, and that the exclusive condemnation of the Catechism is so far evidence in favour of the Articles; that though the higher clergy would probably disapprove of them, yet Cranmer's belief was that they would be generally subscribed, 20 if the sovereign should enjoin it; but above all, that in their title, when put forth by the king's authority, they are called "Articuli, de quibus in Synodo Londinensi inter Episcopos et alios eruditos viros convenerat;" that when sent down by the royal visitors to be subscribed in the university of Cambridge in June 1553, it is still said respecting 25 them," in Synodo Londinensi conclusum ;" that in the Examination of the declaration of certain London ministers put forth in the beginning of queen Elizabeth's reign (ad fin.) they are said to have been agreed upon by the church, and subscribed by the clergy, which statement the ministers in their answer admitted to be just, thereby shewing the 30 belief, which then generally existed, of their synodical authority; and lastly, that in the convocation of 1562, when preparations were making for the construction of the thirty-nine articles, copies of king Edward's Articles were put into the hands of the members, and were still called "Articuli in Synodo Londinensi editi." (Syn. Angl. p. 193.)

If then the evidence have been fairly and completely given in this statement, it would appear that the synodical authority of these Arti

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